Untitled From Commemorative Biographical Record of the Counties of Rock, Green, Grant, Iowa and Lafayette Wisconsin, publ. 1901 - page 59-60

JOHN LEWIS. This prominent farmer and leading citizen of Patch Grove township is a worthy representative of a numerous and highly respected family of Grant county. His father, William LEWIS, Sr., was born in Scotland, April 21, 1795, a son of John and Ann (WILSON) LEWIS, in whose family were four children, three sons and one daughter. John LEWIS was three times married, and by the third union had two son, Thomas and John. With their mother he came to America in 1840, and settled in Bovina, N.Y., where he lived to be ninety-one years old. William was the only child of the first marriage to come to America. His youngest brother, James LEWIS, served several years in the British army, and was in the battle of Waterloo under the Duke of Wellington. Thomas LEWIS was in the British service six years.

In 1815, at the age of twenty years, William LEWIS crossed the broad Atlantic in company with an old neighbor, and on landing in this country proceeded at once to Bovina, Delaware Co., N.Y., where he opened up a new farm, to the improvement and cultivation of which he devoted his energies for many years. He married Nancy BURNS, a native of Bovina, and on his New York farm eleven children were born to them. He first came West on a visit, and was so much pleased with the country that soon after his return to the Empire State he sold his property there and brought his family to Wisconsin, making a permanent settlement in Grant county in May, 1858. He purchased land in Section 10, Town 5, Range 5 west, which is included in the civil township of Patch Grove, and became well-known as one of the representative farmers of that locality. He passed away Feb. 20, 1868, and his wife followed him to the better world in February, 1870.

The family of this worthy couple originally consisted of eleven children, ten sons and one daughter, all of whom grew to mature years with the exception of one who died in early childhood. The only daughter is Mrs. John RYAN of Andover, Grant county. Those still living (1901) are John, whose name introduces this review; Thomas E., a resident of Howard county, Iowa; William; Walter, a resident of Kansas; Katherine; and Wilson F. Andrew was a member of the 43d Wis. V.I. in the war of the Rebellion, and died in the service at Johnsonville, Tenn., in November, 1864. James served in the 7th Wis. V.I., and died March 15, 1867. Moses and Walter were also numbered among the defenders of the Union during that struggle; the former is deceased.

John LEWIS was born in New York State in 1823, and first came to Wisconsin in 1848, but two years later returned East, and did not locate permanently here until 1851. In June, 1848, he and his brother Thomas E. entered the land on which our subject now resides, and later he and his brother William bought Thomas' interest, while still later John became sole proprietor, having purchased William's interest in the property. He now has a fine farm, under a high state of cultivation, and well improved with good and substantial buildings which stand as monuments to his thrift and enterprise.

Mr. LEWIS married Miss Frances LOUGHRAN, a native of the same place as her husband, and a most worthy wife, who proved to him a true helpmeet. She departed this life July 25, 1882. Of the nine children born to them, seven are still living, namely: Margaret, James, Nancy, Frances, John, Moses and William. One son, Charles, died at his home in Little Rock, Iowa, in April, 1899, and another child died in infancy.

In his early voting days Mr. LEWIS affiliated with the Whig party, but has been a stanch Republican since the organization of that party. He is numbered with the successful and progressive citizens of his township and county, and is a worthy representative of that class of men who lead quiet, industrious, honest and useful lives, and constitute the best portion of a community. Wherever known he is held in high regard, and as an honored pioneer and highly respected citizen he is certainly deserving of honorable mention in the history of his adopted county.




This biography generously submitted by Carol Holmbeck